Community rallies around Cincinnati man after wife, daughters killed in Gatlinburg fire

Michael Reed touched the country with his plea to find his family after they got separated in the fire

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Updated: 12:49 PM EST Jan 4, 2017

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WEBVTT
TAMMY: I SPOKE WITH MICHAEL'S
FATHER.
HE GREW UP IN
THIS AREA, AND
NOW, FAMILY HAS COME TO HIS SIDE
TO OFFER COMFORT6 C13
>> MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIS
FAMILY.
TAMMY THE DEPTH OF THEIR LOSS IS
: PROFOUND.
A FAMILY WHO WAS HOLDING ONTO
HOPE, FOUND OUT THE WORST.
CONSTANCE REED AND HER YOUNG
DAUGHTERS LILY AND CHLOE DIED IN
THE GATLINBURG FIRE.
>> I CANNOT IMAGINE.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I REALLY COULD NOT.
TAMMY: THE FATHER, MICHAEL REED,
TOUCHED THE COUNTRY WITH A
DESPERATE PLEA TO FIND HIS
FAMILY AFTER THEY GOT SEPARATED
IN THE FIRE LAST MONDAY.
SHERIFF DEPUITES SAY IT LOOKS
LIKE CONSTANCE AND THEIRLS
WERE TRYING TO ESCAPE THE FLAMES
WHICH ENGULFED THEIR HOME.
,>> HE WAS HOPING THAT THEY
WOULD BE ALIVE.
HE WAS HOPING THAT THEY HAD
FOUND SOME SHELTER SOMEWHERE.
TAMMY:
REED GREW UP IN
CINCINNATI AND GRADUATED FROM
NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL WITH LONG
TIME FRIEND MATT BRUNER.
HE SAYS HE'S BEEN TAING TO
MICHAEL.
THEORTHWEST COMMUNITY IS
RALLYING BEHIND MICHAEL WITH
LOVE, PRAYERS AND PHONE CALLS
AND ANOTHER FUNDRAISER TO HELP
HIM REBUILD.
>> THE WHOLE FAMILY IS GRIEVING.
THE ONLY THING I WANT TO DO IS
MAKE SURE HE'S TAKEN CARE OF A
THAT'S ALL I REALLY CARE TO DO.
TAMMY MICHAEL REED WROTE A
: GOODBYE NOTE ADDRESSING HIS
WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS
INDIVIDUALLY SAYING WHAT HE WILL
, MISS ABOUT THEM.
HE SAYS, " I DON'T KNOW THE
EXTENT OF HOW MANY LIVES HAVE
BEEN IMPACTED THIS STORY.
I AM NUMB.
EMPTY.
BROKEN.
CRUSHED.
BUT I DO KNOW THERE ARE A L OF
PEOPLE PRAYING FOR US.
I CAN FEEL ALL OF YOU WRAPPING
YOUR ARMS AROUND US.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YR
LOVE, SUPPORT, PRAYERS, THOUGHTS
AND HUGS
ALL OF YOU ARE NOW OUR FAMILY."
AND IN HIS POST MICHAEL REED
, CONTINUES ON TO SAY PLEASE
DON'T FORGET THEM.
DON'T FORGET HIS WIFE AND DONT

Community rallies around Cincinnati man after wife, daughters killed in Gatlinburg fire

Michael Reed touched the country with his plea to find his family after they got separated in the fire

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Constance Reed, 34 and her daughters Lily, 9, and Chloe, 12, died in the Gatlinburg fire.

Michael Reed touched the country with a desperate plea to find his family members after they got separated in the fire last Monday.

Officials said it looks like Constance and the girls were trying to escape the flames that engulfed their Chalet Village home.

“He was hoping that they would be alive,” long-time high school friend, Matt Bruner said. “He was hoping they had found some shelter somewhere.”.”

Reed grew up in Cincinnati and graduated from Northwest High School.

The Northwest community is rallying behind Michael Reed with love, prayers, phone calls and another fundraiser to help him rebuild.

“He's going to be taken care of, and we're going to make sure of that as a Northwest Community because that's what we do,” Bruner said.

“I cannot imagine, absolutely not, I really couldn't,” Michael Reed’s high school friend Jennifer Bixler said. “My heart goes out to him and his family.”

The heartbroken father wrote a touching tribute to his wife and two girls on social media, telling each one what he loved about them.

He said in part, “My beautiful babies…It's been the longest week of my life. I sit here this morning with tears in my eyes trying to find the words. I can't. There are no words. So please just let me talk to each of you.”

Michael Reed later goes on to say, “I don't know the extent of how many lives have been impacted by this story. I am numb. Empty. Broken. Crushed. But I do know there are a lot of people praying for us. I can feel all of you wrapping your arms around us. I thank you so much for your love, support, prayers, thoughts and hugs. All of you are now our family.”

The Northwest High School Class of 1995 is planning a communitywide fundraiser for the Reed Family. The details are still being worked out.

This Friday, Bixler will donate all of her tips from the Cancun restaurant to the fundraiser.